I may be obsessed with trees
With so much magic and wonder on the set of The Lion King, it was the image of the great Baobab tree where Rafiki the Mandrill lived that has stuck with me most. This is a sacred tree of the African savannahs, one that brings shelter and comfort to humans and creatures alike.
I found this tree first when I was searching for African tree cults, back when we were talking about librarian school. The Baobab kept showing up in my searches, so the image was already burned into my brain when I saw her standing there in the middle of the magical set.
Some legends claim that the gods ripped the Baobab up by her roots, turned her upside down and planted her with her toes stuck up in the air. Her branches are barren nine months out of the year, and her belly is large, a womb for creatures to live and grow.
A part of me felt like it was the magic of that tree that reverberated through Rafiki’s voice and down through my toenails. Remember the name of the Baobab tree, but also know the name of Phindile Mkhize, South African singer extraordinaire. I’m totally buying her next album.